Blog

"Decide, Commit, Act, Succeed, Repeat!"

I am blatantly stealing a statement from my personal trainer, Matt Chilleri, for this blog post.
"Decide, Commit, Act, Succeed, Repeat!" This is good advice for the gym and life in general. It
is also such an important thing for artists to remember. We are constantly knocked down by one
force or another and only those who are unwavering will truly move forward. If we are not willing
to commit 100% to our hopes and dreams, we will always fall short. Whether it be raising your
skill level as an artist or progressing from jumping a 12" box to an 18" box. It is attainable,
but only through hard work, practice and self evaluation. As my Latin teacher Joe T would always
say, "Nothing in life is accomplished without blood, sweat and tears".

I feel this all goes hand in hand with the statement "You become like the people you surround
yourself with". If you want to be the best, surround yourself with motivated, like-minded people
that you can learn from and strive to be like. Rome was not built in a day. So accept that you
will have success and failure and don't stop trying to climb that mountain. Do not listen to the
those who do not have the faith and courage to pursue their dreams, just stay the course.

You have got this!

"Magic Under the Tuscan Sun"

So today is my 53rd birthday and I am in the company of the group of people I
call "my tribe". I have to say, there is something special about being in the
company of like minded people sharing experiences, moments of greatness and of
failure. I am at the La Meridiana School of Ceramics in Florence for the 2018
Tuscan Sculpture Symposium with a group of truly remarkable sculptors. As as
artist, I put my work out there, compare myself to others, second guess myself
and live an isolated creative existance. This past week I have worked side by
side with other respected sculptors who experience the same feelings I do.
It was nice to be amongst people who totally understood me - the whole ball of
wax! The good, the bad and the insecure...

They say that time heals most wounds and soothes the soul. I say, time in
Tuscany with good friends, great food, plentiful wine and outstanding art is
far more effective and enjoyable. Ciao Bella!

A quote for today

May 2018

"What does the artist do?

He draws connections. He ties the invisible threads between things. He dives
into history, be it the history of mankind, the geological history of the Earth
or the beginning and end of the manifest cosmos."

– Anselm Kiefer

Photo Credit:
Artsy.net.
A piece of red ochre found near near Scarborough and
fashioned into a Stone Age crayon. Courtesy of Paul Shields, University of York.

Mimic the Great Creator

March 2018

As long as man has been walking the Earth, for some reason he has had the need
to create. From the simple beginnings of crude tools and wheels, to drawing on
cave walls. There is something about human nature that makes us want to
create something from nothing. The attached article talks about the very
first drawing implements used by primitive man. As it was then is now,
for no matter how how far we advance as a society, we will always have the
fundamental need to leave our mark and try to mimic the Great Creator.

Bowie's Advice to Artists

January 2018

Hi folks,

Just some food for thought during these chilly winter months in New England. I
came across this interview with David Bowie and it struck a chord with me as a
sculptor and the constant need to have work for every show and every deadline,
and yet stay true to yourself. His insights were definitely good advice to me
as an artist and to many I'm sure in all aspects of life. Give it a listen, you
won't be disappointed.

Happy January 2018!

Your browser does not support the video tag.

Copper Prep

November 24, 2017

Studio work is not always glamorous. Here is a process I use to
prepare the copper before I make my flowers and feathers. It's
called annealing. Basically I'm heating up the metal to red hot
and then cooling it off in cold water quickly to make the copper
more pliable to work with. This process separates the molecules
of the copper making it easier to manipulate, and as you hammer
the metal, it moves the molecules back together and makes it
hard again.

A new website and holiday cheer!

Warmest Seasonal Greetings to you!

I am excited to share my new website with you! What do you think?
I am so proud of the job that InnoTech LLC of Pawcatuck, CT has done
to create this site for me to bring my work and projects to you.
It has been a lot of hard work pulling all this together, but now
we can enjoy the fruits of all this labor.

Please stop back often to hear about what is going on at the studio
and on the road. With this blog, I hope to give you some insights
into my working methods and keep you informed of important events
and openings. I am delighted to begin this journey with you!